Chair



Sept. 1,1931. T. J. MILES, 1,821,107

CHAIR Filed Sept. 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' A TTORNEYS.

T. J. MILES Sept. 1, 1931.

CHAIR Filed Sept. 16, 1929 3 SheetsSheet 2 gmntt 7. A72 Zes, MM

Sept. 1, 1931. T M L 1,821,107 I CHAIR Filed Sept. 16, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. l, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS J. MILES, OF BUECHEL, KENTUCKY CHAIR Application filed September 16, 1929. Serial No. 392,855.

This invention relates to furniture and has tion consists in general of certain novel arspecial reference to a folding chair of the type rangements of parts and combinations of elecommonly called lawn or porch chairs. ments hereinafter fully described, illustrated With the usual chair of this class a strip in the accompanying drawings and specifi- & of canvas forms the back and seat, being atcally claimed.

"' tached at its lower end to a front frame bar In the accompanying drawings like charand at its upper end to a top frame bar. Also, acters of reference indicate like parts in the the frame may be adjusted so that the user several views, and: may sit up practically straight or lean back- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved ward to a suitable position, the adjustment chair in its erect position.

being by engagementof a cross member of Figure 2 is a similar view showing the one part of the frame in notches in another back of the chair inclined to one position of part of the frame. This kind of a chair can reclining adjustment. only be adjusted while it is unoccupied so Figure 3 is a front elevation of the chair ,m that a person using the chair and desiring to in the position shown in Figure 2.

' change the angle at which he is sitting is Figure 4 is a side elevation of the chair as obliged to rise in order-to make the change. folded.

One object of the present invention is to' Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the folded provide an improved general construction of chair.

7 go chairs of this character wherein provision is Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 but 70 made for adjustment of the chair while occushowing a modified means for engaging the pied. ground brought into use upon a'person ris- A second important object of the invention ing from the chair. is to provide such a construction in the chair Figure 7 is'a view similar to Figure 2 but that the adjustment may be obtained by the showing the modification. 1|

" user simply inclining his body to the posi In the construction of the chair as here tion in which he wishes to rest, the chair auto-' shown there are provided two frames intermatically adjusting itself to that position. secting each other at nearly right angles Porch chairs, as commonly constructed, are when the chair is unfolded. For convenience without rollers-or castors and are frequently these frames may be designated as the back o dragged around on the floor to the injury of frame and the seat frame.

the floor paint or other finish. Referring to the chair in its set-up or A third important object of the invention erected position as shown in Figures 1', 2'and is to provide a novel construction of folding 3, the back frame will be seen to consist of achair having rollers on its front legs which pair of laterally spaced upwardly and rear- 35 ordinarily support the front of the chair but wardly extending side bars 10 which areconwhich, upon a person leaning forward, as in nected adjacent their bottom ends by a back rising from the chair, are automatically frame cross bar 11. This bar 11 lies behind raised from the ground so that no slipping the bars 10 and its ends project outwardly so of the chair will take place while one is risbeyond the bars 10 to form stops 12 the puring therefrom. pose of which will be presently explained.

A fourth important object of the invention At the upper ends of the bars 10 these bars is to provide, in such an automatically adare connected by an upper back frame cross justable chair, a novel arrangement of parts bar 13.

as by which the forward inclination of the chair The seat frame consists of two upwardly back, as a person rises therefrom is limited and forwardly extending side bars 14 which so that danger of the chair collapsing forare connected adjacent their lower or rear wardly is eliminated. ends by a rear seat frame cross bar 15. Be-

With the above and other objects in view, neath the forward ends of the bars 14 are the 50 as will be hereinafter apparent, the invenseatbrackets 16 and the under sides of these passing respectively through the bars 10 and 14 and arm pieces 21 forming upper tie members between the frames are connected to said frames by these bolts.

Adjacent the lower ends of the bars 10 is a pivot rod 22 and on this rod is ivoted the forward ends of lower frame tie ars 23 the rear ends of which are pivoted on pivot bolts 24 spaced forwardly from the rear ends of the bars 14. These bars 23 tie outside of the seat frame and they are therefore spaced from the lower ends of the bars 10 sothat rollers 25 may be mounted on the bolts 22 between the bars 23 and 10. Washers or spacers 25 are used to hold the rollers free from the bars 23 and 10. By reference to Figures 2 and 1 it will be seen that the bars have their forward ends 23 projecting some distance in front of the rollers 25 so that, as a person rises from thechair, these ends will engage the ground by the forward tilting movement of the chair and will thus lift the rollers off the ground.- This action will prevent the lower part of the chair rolling backwardly to the possible injury of the user. a

In the modified form shown in Figures 6 and 7, the bars 10 roject downwardly below the rollers 25 to orm ground engaging extensions 26 which will dig into the surface of a lawn when the chair is in the position shown in Figure 6 or, if the chair is on a hard surface such as a porch floor will act in such position to raise the rollers off the surface and will thus prevent the chair slipping backwardly as a person rises. It will also be noted from Figures 1 and 6 that the bars 14 engage the stops 12 when the chair is in its most upright position, as when one rises, and thus further forward movement of the back frame and consequent collapse is prevented.

In use one sits in the chair as at Figure 1 and by simply leaning backwardly the back frame is tilted rearwardly, this tilt raising the front of the seat frame and of course liftfolded by simply pulling up on the forward end of the seat frame whereupon the parts vention without departing from the principles involved so that it is desired to include all forms of the invention which fall within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a folding chair, a back frame, a seat frame crossing the back frame and slidable and tiltable relative thereto, rigid connecting arm supporting-bars pivoted directly to and connecting the'sides of the back frame with the sides of the seat frame above the crossing point of said frames, other rigid connecting bars pivoted directly to and connecting the sides of said frames below said crossing point, a flexible seat and back strip suspended between the sides of said frames loosely and having its ends connected to the front of the seat frame and upper part of the back frame respectively, ground engaging rollers onthe lower ends of the sides of the back frame, and ground engaging parts mounted upon the lower ends of the back frame and projecting forwardly of said rollers to engage the ground upon the chair being tilted forwardly.

2. In a folding chair, a back frame, a seat frame crossing the back frame and slidable and tiltable relative thereto, rigid connecting arm supporting bars pivoted directly to and connecting the sides of the back frame with the sides of the seat frame above the 'crossing point of said frames, other rigid connecting bars pivoted directly to and connecting the sides of said frames below said crossing point, a flexible seat and back st'rip suspended between the sides of said frames loosely and having its ends connected to the front of the seat frame and upper part of the back frame respectively, stops on the back frame positioned to engage the seat frame and limit downward movement of the front thereof, ground engaging rollers on the lower ends of the sides of the back frame, and ground engaging parts mounted upon the lower ends of the back frame members and projecting forwardly of said rollers to engage the ground upon the chair being tilted for wardly.

3. In a folding chair, a back frame, a seat frame crossing the back frame and slidable izs points of intersection, the pivotal connections between the last mentioned bars and the sides of the back frame constituting roller axles ground engaging rollers mounted on Sal l. axles, and round engaging extensions on the forward ends of the last mentioned bars projecting forwardly of the rollers to engage the round upon the chair being tilted forwar ly.

# 4. In a folding chair, a back frame, a seat frame crossing the back frame and slidable and tiltable relative thereto, rigid connecting arm supporting bars pivoted directly to-an connecting the sides of the back and seat frames above their points of intersection,

other rigid connecting bars pivoted to the sides of the back and seat frames below their points of intersection, the pivotal connections between the last mentioned bars and the sides of the back frame constituting roller axles,

ground engaging rollers mounted on said axles between respective last mentioned bars and the sides of the back frame, and ground engaging extension on the forward ends of 25 the last mentioned bars projecting forwardly of the rollers to engage the ground upon the chair being tilted forwardly.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. THOMAS J. MILES. 

